Snap-switch.



PATENTBD MAY 1, 1905. H. GBISENHNBR.

SNAP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10. 1902 wry-NES EELS! Her-)wy ebserwhner,

UNITED sTATEs I PATENT EEiOEo HENRY GEisENi-INER, OE sCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, AssiGNORTo GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CoRPORATiON OE NEW YoRE.

SNAP-SWITCH.

Spe'ccation of 'Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1906.

Application filed May 10. 1902. Serial No. 106.761.

`useful Improvements in Snap-Switches, of

which the ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to snap-switches for electrical purposes, and 'has for its object to provide such a switch with actuating means consisting f few parts which will operateto ositively release and arrest the switchlades and also effectually withstand the hammering eHect to which it is subjected by the suddenfstarting and stopping of the movable-parts. My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the 'l accom anying drawin s, forming a part of this speci cation, in whic Figure 1 is a vertical section of a snapswitch embodying one forin of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedbottom plan view of the.

retainer, the locking-pawl, and the controlling-cam in locked position; and Fi 3-is a similar view with the parts shown in 51e position assumed at the instant of release.

My invention is shown in the drawings applied to a double or two-blade switch having a circular base 2, of wood or other suitable material, and u on the upper surface of which are secured inding parts 3, provided with contact-clips 4, two o which are in one plane and two in another, accordin to the usual arrangementv in this type of evices, so as to register, respectively, with the switch-blades 5 and 6, carried in different planes upon their sup ort 7; The circular base 2 is provided wit a central aperture, in the u per part of which the reduced lower end o the bladesupport 7 is j ournaled. Just below the end of blade-support 7 the walls of the central aperture are rabbeted for the reception of the circular vbearing-plate 9, which is eld loosely in place by the retainer-rin 10, which under-` lies the outer periphery of le bearing-plate 9 in and is seated in a second rabbeted recess the wall of the central a erture and held there- 'in by screws 1 1,exten ing down from the upper side of the base 2 and engaging1 ta ped oles in the said retainer-ring 1 0. support 7is fastened tothe bearing-plate 9 by suitable means, as screws extending through the one into the other. The actuating-spindle 12 which is provided with a thumb-piece' 13 at its upper end and a contracted journal 14 and shoulder 15 at its lower end, is axially journaled in the blade-support 7 and bearinglate 9 and is yieldingly connected thereto y means of the coiled spring 16, surrounding the spindle and havinv one of its ends entering a hole in the side ol the spindle, the other .endengaging a pin 17 on the upper surface of ythe bearing-plate 9. The blade-support 7 is provided with a small chamber to accommodate the spring 16.

The lower' end of the actuating-spindle 12 bears at its, shoulder 15 upon the upper surface of the bearing-plate 9, and beneath said late itis secured to the controlling-cam 18 y upsetting or other suitable' means. Eccentrically pivoted at v19 upon the lower face of the bearing-plate 9 is the locking-pawl 20, adapted to engage the inwardly-projecting shoulders 21 of the retaining-ring 10 and lock the bearing-plate 9 and the arts connected therewith against rotation w 'le the actuating-spindle 12 is being rotated to put the spring 16 under tension.

As indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, the bearingsurfaces of shoulders 21 slope in the direction of the pivot-point 19 of the pawl 20, so that the latter normally tends to slide inward and off from the former. The cam 18 is shaped and proportioned so that it bears u on the inner edge of the shouldered end of t ie pawl 20 and holds it pressed outward against the tendency of the pawl to move inward, due to the inclined bearing-surfaces. The cam radius is abruptly shortened at a point 22, which when brought opposite the inner bearing edge of the pawl permits it to move inwardly sufficient to esca e the shoulder 21, as indicated in Fig. 3. T e cam 18 whenv at rest occu ies substantially the position indicated in `i 2, andV accordingly as the actuating-spind e 12 is turned to brin the cam into the position of'Fig. 3 the coile spring 16 is put under tension, so that the instant the pawl escapes the shoulder of the retainingring the blade-support andv connected parts are thrown aroun through 'an angle of ninety degrees by the recoil of the s ring and the awl 20 engages the next sho der 2 1, being lbrced outward by the action of the'cain 18,

iwhich, being connected to the actuatingspindle 12, s stood substantially stationary during the movement of the other parts.

IOC

y the pawl 20, if for any reason it should fail t'o slide readily when the cam 18 has been moved into the position indicated in Fig. 3, I extend the shank of the pawl 20 beyond its pivot-point and so shape its inner edge that it Will be engaged by the longer radius of the cam 18, and thereby be positively tilted and released.

It is to be noted that at the end of the throwv of ninety degrees of the switch-blade support and connected parts the impact due tov the unspent forces is received by the full length of the shoulder 21 and cooperating face of the pawl 20, so that the hammer eect is distributed,

What I. claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. I n an electric switch, the combination of a stationary retainer, a rotary bladesupport, alocking-pawl carried eccentrically by said support, and an actuating-spindle yieldingly connected to said support and provided with means for normally forcin said lockingpawl outward duringits travel v etween stops and its engagement with said retainer.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of a stationary retainer, a rotary blade-support, ,a locking-pawl pivoted eccentrically upon said support, and an actuating-spindle yieldingly"connectedl to said support and pro- .vided with a controlling-cam which operates normally to force said pawl outwardly during its travel between stops and its engagement with said retainer.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of a stationary retainer, a rotaryA blade-supcam carried by said port, a locking-pawl pivoted eccentrically.

upon said support and having its shank eX- tended beyond its pivot, and an actuatingspindle yieldingly connected to said support and provided with a cam adapted to bear against said pawl upon either side of its pivot and which operatesnornially to force said pawl outwardly during its travel from stop to stop and its engagement with said retainer. Y

4. In an electric switch, the combination of a stationary retainer having inclined shoulders, a rotary blade-support, a locking-pawl carried by said support and having an inclined shoulder formed at an oblique angle to the radius of the pawl at that point, and an actuating-spindle having spring connection with said support and provided-with means Jfor normally restraining the slidingftendency of vthe said pawl with vreference to the' inclined shoulders of the stationary retainer.

' 5. The combination vof the base 2, the

blade-support 7 mounted to vrotate upon the' upper side of' said base, the stationary retainer 10 mounted upon the under side. of said base, the actuating-spindle 12 extending axially through said support and connected thereto by the spirng 16, a lockingpawl 2O adapted to engage said retainer, and 'a spindle' and normally operating to force Said pawl radially outward.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of May, 1902.

HENRY GEISENHONER; 'Witnessesz BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. 

